1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator, and in particular to a refrigerator capable of storing food freshly for a longer time and improving conveniency of life by storing food at an optimum storing temperature according to kinds of foods.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in a refrigerator, a refrigerating cycle system is installed, cool air is generated in an evaporator, the cool air maintains a freezing chamber and a chilling chamber in a cool state while circulating the freezing and the chilling chambers. Accordingly, a user stores food in the freezing and the chilling chambers to preserve the food for a long time.
The refrigerator can be classified into various types according to cool air circulating methods, positions of freezing and chilling chambers and constructions of an evaporator.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a general refrigerator, FIG. 2 is a side-sectional view illustrating a chilling chamber of the refrigerator, and FIG. 3 is a side-sectional view illustrating a freezing chamber of the refrigerator.
As depicted in FIGS. 1˜3, in the refrigerator, a partition wall 110 is formed in a main body 100 in the up and down direction, a freezing chamber 120 and a chilling chamber 130 are respectively formed on the left and the right of the partition wall 110. A freezing chamber door 200 for opening/closing the freezing chamber 120 is combined with a side of the main body 100, and a chilling chamber door 300 for opening/closing a chilling chamber 130 is combined with the other side of the main body 100. In more detail, the freezing chamber door 200 and the chilling chamber door 300 are rotatively combined with both sides of the main body 100 respectively.
A rear path 140 in which cool air circulates is formed in the rear wall of the freezing chamber 120, and an evaporator 400 for generating cool air is installed in the rear path 140. Plural cool air discharge holes 141 for discharging cool air into the freezing chamber 120 are formed on the rear wall of the freezing chamber 120, and the cool air discharge holes 141 are connected with the rear path 140. An outflow through hole 142 for passing cool air through the freezing chamber 120 into the rear path 140 is formed at a lower region of the freezing chamber 120. And, shelves 150 on which food is mounted are inserted into the freezing chamber 120 at regular intervals.
A duct 160 is installed on the inner top portion of the chilling chamber 130, and an inflow through hole 111 for passing cool air generated in the evaporator 400 into the duct 160 is formed on the top region of the partition wall 110. A first damper 161 for adjusting a quantity of cool air flowing into the inflow through hole 111 is installed in the duct 160, and cool air discharge holes 162, 163 for discharging cool air into the chilling chamber 130 are respectively formed on the front and bottom of the duct 160. Shelves 151 on which food is mounted are inserted into the chilling chamber 130 at regular intervals, and a vegetable storage 170 for storing vegetables or fruits is formed in a lower region of the chilling chamber 130.
An outflow through hole 143 connected to the rear path 140 is formed at a lower region of the partition wall 110 in order to make cool air circulating the chilling chamber 130 flow to the evaporator 400.
A machine room 180 is formed on the lower rear region of the main body 100, and a compressor 500, etc. is installed in the machine room 180,
A main fan 440 is installed at a side of the evaporator 400 in order to circulate cool air heat-exchanged in the evaporator 400, and a defrosting heater 410 for eliminating frost periodically is installed on the evaporator 400. And, a defrost water tray 420 in which defrost water stays is installed at a lower portion of the evaporator 400, and a defrost water distributing pipe 430 for guiding defrost water to the machine room 500 is connected to the bottom of the defrost water tray 420.
Reference numerals 210 are shelves formed on the freezing chamber door 200, reference numerals 310 are shelves formed on the chilling chamber door 300, and reference numeral 190 is an icemaker or an additional freezing storage.
The operation of the refrigerator will be described.
First, when the compressor 500 is operated, the evaporator 400 absorbs outside heat and generates cool air. Simultaneously, when the main fan 440 is rotated, cool air generated in the evaporator 400 flows through the rear path 140.
Cool air flowing through the rear path 140 is discharged into the freezing chamber 120 through the cool air discharge holes 141, and the cool air discharged into the freezing chamber 120 flows into the freezing chamber 120. Cool air flowing in the freezing chamber 120 flows into the rear path 140 through the outflow through hole 142 formed at the lower portion of the freezing chamber 120, and the cool air in the rear path 140 is heat-exchanged while passing the evaporator 400. The heat-exchanged cool air flows again into the freezing chamber 120 through the cool air discharge holes 141. By continuing the cool air circulating process, the freezing chamber 120 can maintain a cool state.
And, part of the cool air flowing through the evaporator 400 and the rear path 140 flows into the duct 160 through the inflow through hole 111 on the chilling chamber 130 by the operation of the first damper 161, and cool air in the duct 160 flows into the chilling chamber 130 through the cool air discharge holes 162, 163. The cool air in the chilling chamber 130 flows in the chilling chamber 130 and the vegetable storage 170 formed in the lower region of the chilling chamber 130, afterward, the cool air flows into the rear path 140 through the outflow through hole 143. The cool air is heat-exchanged while passing the evaporator 400 with the cool air through the freezing chamber 120. Part of the cool air passing the evaporator 400 flows into the duct 160 by the operation of the first damper 161, and it flows into the chilling chamber 130 again through the cool air discharge holes 162, 163. By continuing the cool air circulating process, the chilling chamber 130 can maintain a cool state.
In the meantime, while the cool air circulates along the evaporator 400, the freezing chamber 120, and the chilling chamber 130, moisture contained in food stored in the freezing chamber 120 and the chilling chamber 130 is evaporated and flows together with the cool air, it stays on the cold evaporator 400, and accordingly frost is generated on the evaporator 400. Because frost lowers efficiency of the evaporator 400, defrosting is periodically performed by operating the defrost heater 410. Herein, the operation of the compressor 500 and the main fan 440 is stopped. Defrost water is discharged to the machine room 180 through the defrost water tray 420 and the defrost water distributing pipe 430 arranged on the bottom of the evaporator 400.
Generally various foods can be stored in the refrigerator. Optimum storing temperature at which food can be stored freshly for a longer time is different according to kinds of foods, when an optimum storing temperature is not maintained, preservation term of food is reduced, and freshness of the food is easily lowered. On the contrary, when an optimum storing temperature is maintained, food can be freshly maintained for a longer time.
However, the conventional refrigerator includes the freezing chamber 120, the chilling chamber 130, and the vegetable storage 170. Because cool air maintains a set temperature state while circulating through the freezing chamber 120, the chilling chamber 130, and the vegetable storage 170, it is appropriate for storing frozen food or food not sensitive to a temperature; however, it is insufficient to store vegetables or fruits, etc. so as to be fresh for a long time. For example, in case of the vegetable storage, a certain temperature range (generally 2° C.˜4° C.) is maintained by cool air flowing into the chilling chamber 130. However, because subtropical or tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple, mango, papaya, etc., or vegetables such as cabbage, spinach, parsley, tomato, cucumber, pumpkin, strawberry, pitch, grapes, etc. have a storing temperature within the range of 7° C.˜10° C., when they are stored in the vegetable storage, preservation term of food (in which food is stored freshly) may be reduced.
In addition, in the conventional refrigerator, fish or meat, etc. is generally stored in the freezing chamber 120, in order to thaw frozen fish or meat, lots of time is required, it is inconvenient for a user. In addition, in case of storing meat, etc. for a short time, there is no appropriate storing region.
And, in the conventional refrigerator, in performing of the defrosting operation for removing frost on the evaporator 400, the compressor 500 and the main fan 440 are stopped, the defrost heater 410 is heated, defrosting time is comparatively increased, and accordingly temperature control in the freezing chamber 120, the chilling chamber 130 and the vegetable storage 170 can not be performed accurately for the defrosting operation time.